“Smithsonian explores how entertainment shaped America” - CBS Sunday Morning, 2022, 4:59 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRHl-uY_I8

High culture is often described as emulating the tastes of the upper classes and is distinguished by relative inaccessibility. A ticket to the opera, for example, may not only be more expensive than a regular concert ticket, but it requires carefully cultivated tastes to appreciate. This exclusivity is part of high culture’s appeal. Popular culture, on the other hand, often appeals to the lowest common denominator while purposefully marketing itself to as wide an audience as possible. This makes television shows and movies excellent examples of pop culture (whereas the theatre is more associated with high culture). Yet the line between high culture and popular culture is often blurred, especially when a high cultural institution (like a museum) features exhibits on mass media.

Perhaps we are witnessing an elevation of certain pop culture artifacts. This raises questions about which artifacts and franchises are being elevated. Thankfully the Smithsonian is intentionally making this a multicultural experience.

From the video’s description:  "Entertainment Nation/Nación del espectáculo," a new exhibition at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., features artifacts from 150 years of music, sports and moving images. CBS News' John Dickerson gets a tour, and looks at how Prince, "The Wizard of Oz" and "Star Wars" helped define our national character.